Piecing the Sentence Together: Part One
“I know what all the cards mean, I just don’t know how to piece them together into something meaningful.” This sentiment is the main thing I hear from people learning how to read tarot. Sure, memorizing 78 individual cards can be tricky but it seems like many people get stuck on contextualizing the cards.
If you find yourself in a similar place, I’m here to help! This article is part one of four I’ve written about how to build the meaning of the cards together into a useful tarot reading. Each card has its own definition (and ever-growing collective understanding), when laid out in a spread they complete full sentences of meaning. This particular article will illustrate how to read these sentences as part of a larger story. This is a technique I’ve used to deepen my tarot practice. I’ve focused my writing on those learning to read cards for themselves. Though this information can be expounded upon to read cards for others, I would greatly suggest reading for yourself before moving on to reading for others.
After explaining how reading the cards like a story can help deepen your understanding, I’ve included a practice, a ritual to try. Take it as your homework if you want. The best way to get better at anything is to try, practice, and see what way works best for you. Remember that you don’t have to be perfect, you just have to be open to learning.
Part One: Reading the Story
A common tip for memorizing the major arcana cards is to learn the Fool’s story, each card builds on the next (in my mind reveals the next). Each suit of the minor arcana also progresses like a story. I read the 1-10 numbered cards as a story, then the court cards (Queen, King, Knight, Page) as characters within that story. Other readers I’ve seen use the court cards as the next steps of that same story, picking up on where the 10 leaves them. By using the story, rather than strictly memorizing, you give yourself a memory aid. Rather than getting lost in the keywords, learn the story arcs to give yourself somewhere to work from.
You can also use this principle with the individual cards you pull, wherever they land in the sequence. Sink into the pictures and what you know about this specific card. What is happening in the story? Then, let yourself approach the next card like the next scene. Watch, for example, how these two cards together can create a new story and a new meaning. Approach the illustrations of the cards like a picture book and let yourself see what story is coming through.
Six of Swords — leaving conflict, a respite, going on a trip away from troubles, safe harbor
The traditional illustration shows a huddled group traveling on a boat. They’re traveling from agitated waters to the land in the distance. All we can see are the far-off trees and the ever-present swords, representing the harsh intellect and cutting action.
Nine of Cups — manifestation, wish fulfillment, peace, emotional returns, contentment
This illustration shows a content person sitting alone in front of a blue curtain, floating above is their nine full cups. Whatever is behind the curtain doesn’t seem to matter, for the moment things are going well.
If we take just these two cards in a row what is the story that’s created? It looks like the destination for our travelers, or at least one of the characters is getting to is some kind of paradise. Are you planting seeds and planning to move forward, steering your ship to safety? Are you the one being protected making their way to a safer, more prosperous place? Or maybe you’re about to leave for a trip, some time away, hoping and planning for it to be the start of your new dream life? Read visually, and see what the picture says. After you start to see the ties to your life, your story, add in the keywords and definitions. How does the information contribute to the visual story? What did you not see from the picture alone?
This is also a useful technique when connecting with a new deck. Take some time to see how the different artists interpret the same cards. Let your understanding evolve as you take in more information. Let yourself see what the most common interpretations are in your and other people’s readings.
By taking in the visual components of the cards, you allow all the pieces to become familiar and important. Stop forcing yourself to be the perfect memorizer. Stop panicking – slow down, take a breath, and read what’s in front of you.
Practice To Try:
This exercise is to strengthen your receptivity to visual information from Spirit (clairvoyance). Try not to force yourself to imagine specifics, this is a practice in allowing. It usually comes in whispers and fragments of the full picture — Let the image find you. For this practice, don’t look up the meaning of the cards until after your meditations. If you do have them memorized, try suspending what you know about the cards for now.
Shuffle the deck and pull your first card. This will be where you are now. Hold the card and take in the scene. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and hold the picture in your mind. Let yourself take place inside the story in front of you. What does being here make you feel? Is it what you expected before pulling the card? What feels new and different about this place? What feels familiar? If/when the answers don’t come immediately, let yourself ponder. Float inside the world for a minute, let it be as real as you can, and see what you learn about where you are at.
When you feel like you’re ready to move on to the next question, repeat the same process with the second card. This will show who you are now, according to you and Spirit. Does it look like you? Does it feel like you? If it’s not literally a person but more a situation on the card, what does the situation say about you? Again, close your eyes and bring yourself to that meditative state. Feel out the story. Who are you right now? How does it compare to who you want to be? How about who you used to be? When you feel like you’ve got a good sense of this person, take yourself back to the first card. When you combine them what story is created? Maybe your person fits the scene well, maybe there is some amount of dissonance you’re dealing with. What questions open up when you consider these cards together? Is this matching your personal situation?
After considering some of the parallels to your current situation, pull the third card. If you did take the time to come up with some questions from the scene, this card should help answer them. Breathe in and see this card as your destination. This is the place where you are heading given the previous information. Let yourself step into this scene. Is this somewhere you want to end up? What does being here make you feel? If it’s not somewhere you want to end up, check back in with the other cards for more information. Either way, this is the perfect place to add in the information you know about the cards now. Is there a path you didn’t see before? Are you being asked to change course or is this confirming something you already have been thinking? What visual cues are being offered as signs? If there are birds on every one of the cards you pulled, take that as a symbol for your journey.
Part Two posted Friday June 30th!
